One of my favorite experiences last year was attending Hinterland Music Festivalout in St. Charles, Iowa. I'll never forget laying underneath the stars and listening to Ray LaMontagne serenade me and my friends. It was pure magic, folks.

I really enjoy learning about different people's creative process and how they go about creating their particular works of art. Shows like Chef's Table and films like Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lensare constantly on rotation in my apartment. Seeing their process and learning about their perspective makes me feel less alone because it shows me there are others like me out there.

A few weeks ago, we featured Jami Milne here on the site. She recently returned from a trip to Paris and Shop Preservation published a photo essay about the trip. I think it's beautiful! Read it all here.

My Midwest Is Showingis a cool new site "celebrating smart and creative people with serious Midwestern charm." What's not to love? Editor-in-chief, Sammy Walsh, reached out to be about doing a little Q&A...

Des Moines Performing Arts recently launched a dance series that will be going on for the next few months downtown. They kicked it off with Kyle Abraham's Abraham.In.Motion this past Wednesday and let me tell you that it was a captivating show! I was blown away.

Before I go any further, watch the short promo video below to get an idea of the type of dance his shows incorporate and then read my thoughts on the show and how you can attend the next production.

Last month was Around the Table's first dinner of 2017 and it was a magical evening to say the least. Sixteen guests gathered on the rooftop of the Des Moines Building to share a meal with one another and experience the city in a new and unique way.

I can't really explain what it feels like to watch as a group of strangers become friends, but every time I see it happen it renews me faith in the power and importance of connection. We're online so often that I think we forget what it feels like to experience something with people by our sides. That's irreplaceable! And long as I'm here, I plan to help people remember its importance.

In lieu of more words, I give you pictures! All done by my mega-talented friend/storyteller, Liz Brown, who was scheduled to stay an hour but ended up staying for three. We love you Liz!

p.s. if you want to be notified of upcoming events with Around the Table, please click here. You'll be the first to know when we announce our dinner for this spring.

Last week I had the honor to watch the company at Ballet Des Moines practice for their upcoming show. You can read that all here. Yesterday afternoon, I drove up to Ames to watch the final product live and in person. What a cool experience to see the progression! More below.

Ballet Des Moines was kind enough to reach out and ask if I'd like to visit their studio during a practice before the upcoming show. Obviously, I said yes! I always enjoy getting a look behind the scenes and I also wanted to find out if any Black Swan stuff ever happens within the company (I asked, it doesn't.) Read on below...

For whatever reason, New York has always remained in my line of vision and someday I hope to live there. Who doesn't have that dream? Midwest to Manhattan is an ongoing series here on the site, dedicated to folks with connections to both the Midwest and Manhattan.

Last month, Erika Veurink kicked things off with her essay and this month, we have Eileen Moores sharing lessons she's learned while working in the fashion industry.

I heard about Taylor's project from a friend of mineand I had to learn more about it. She's combining art with medicine to create a beautiful hybrid of holistic creativity. Taylor's focus is on dementia and those suffering from it, but take note: her project doesn't paint them as victims.

You'll see the term "art therapy" mentioned a few times throughout this piece. I know it sounds self-explanatory, but I asked Taylor to explain it for me. She says that it's similar to any other mental health professional, except that they incorporate art into the process. It's been found to work well with children or the elderly who may not be able to easily verbalize what they're thinking or feeling. Cool, right?

Last winter, Jami Milne was the inaugural "artist in residence" with Ballet Des Moines. Jami was given space within the ballet studio, as well as access to staff and dancers. Over a six week period she documented their craft in a series of stunning, sometimes ethereal portraits. Read about her experience below.

I don't care for New Year's resolutions, because I feel like we should try to adjust the course of lives throughout the year. But I like the idea of purposefully heading into a new direction at the beginning of a year and it's in that spirit I write the following...

I've always liked New York. Maybe it's because of Billy Joel, Nora Ephron, and Shake Shack. Maybe it's something deeper. The City seems to symbolize so many different things to different people - dreams, achievement, progress. For whatever reason, New York has always remained in my line of vision and someday I hope to live there. Who doesn't have that dream?

Over the next few months, we'll be having guest contributors here on the site and each will share a piece about life in New York for a series entitled 'Midwest to Manhattan.' First off is Erika Veurink, who recently moved back from Manhattan. Her thoughts are below....